Warrior care center giving hope to wounded

CAMP PENDLETON — Things didn’t look good for Marine Sgt. Jorge Toledo last year after he suffered serious injuries as a result of a predeployment-training helicopter crash.

Toledo, 26, fractured his skull, shattered his left leg, lacerated his lungs and suffered a concussion and nerve damage. Less than 18 months later, however, not only are Toledo’s injuries barely noticeable to the human eye, he has completed two full and two half-triathlons.

How did a Marine who went through four surgeries and was in and out of the hospital for six months recover so quickly? He took advantage of several programs at the year-old, Warrior Hope and Care Center at Wounded Warrior Battalion West.

“I’ve done things now that I never imagined I’d be able to do, even before I got injured,” Toledo said.

The $29 million, 30,000-square-foot facility, which opened in October 2011, provides primary medical care, mental-health counseling, professional training and education, physical conditioning and transition services for wounded, ill and injured Marines and sailors. There are 38 office spaces that accommodate family readiness staff, licensed clinical social workers and recovery care coordinators.

The center is home to the battalion’s Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program, which operates the 6,000-square-foot gym, 200-meter outdoor track, underwater treadmill and 25-meter swimming pool, among other state-of-the-art equipment. Training is organized and the gym is staffed by recreation and sports specialists and coaches, like those who prepared Toledo for the four triathlons he completed between July and September.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” said Tom Fisher, program manager for Wounded Warrior Battalion West. “We can do just about anything in here.”

The facility also has a community area, including a family lounge, child play area, computer lounge, classrooms and presentation and training rooms.

People walking into the sparkling new building are greeted with inspirational photos and words. On one side of the lobby, the words “Mind,” “Body” and “Spirit” are written in large letters on the wall. On the other side: “Overcome,” “Thrive” and “Focus.”

About 200 Marines take advantage of the facility. They could have been injured in battle, outside combat, have cancer or been in a bad car accident.

For Amber Fifer, a 21-year-old Parker, Colo., native who was injured in May while on deployment to Afghanistan, the center has been a blessing.

“From when I was very first injured, I was very worried about what was going to happen to me, where my life was going to take me from then on,” Fifer said. “But once I became a part of the Wounded Warrior battalion, my spirits definitely raised up. There’s so much to offer us here, I know I can go nowhere but up.”

Toledo, a native of Paterson, N.J., has completed two deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan since he enlisted in November 2004. A crew chief, he was sitting on the right gun when his helicopter crashed during a training exercise on base on July 6, 2011.

In January, he came to Wounded Warrior Battalion West and has been working toward making a full recovery ever since.

Since his arrival, Toledo has trained in the gym, received physical therapy, seen a neurologist, undergone acupuncture and met with his orthopedic surgeon, among other things.

“I’m always in here,” he said. “I love it. This is an amazing facility.”

Toledo said his goal is to stay in the Marine Corps, become an officer and continue deploying. He still has no feeling in his left leg because of the nerve damage, but he is confident he can eventually overcome all obstacles.

“Being in the military, everybody says ‘thank you,’ but you wonder how many of those people are willing to lend a helping hand,” Toledo said. “When you find yourself in the position where you really need a helping hand, you really find out how many organizations and people are willing to help you. I definitely feel overwhelmed.”